Yieldable shaft-coupling.



W. I. SAUL.

YIELDABLE SHAFT GOUPLING.

APPLIGATIOH FILED 1150.28. 1912.

1,1 18,586, Patented NOV. 24, 1914.

ffm/flawe- E QF N WILLIAM IRVING SA'UL, OF CARROLL, IOWA.

YIELDABLE SHAFT-COUPLING.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Noir.a 2d, Mild.

Application tiled December 28, 1912. Serial No. 739,133.

T all whom t may concern Be it known that l, WILLIAM invnvo SAUL, a citizen of the United States, residing at nCarrolhin the county of Carroll and State of lovva, have invented certain new 'and useful improvements in Yieldable Shaft-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to engine power equalizers and more particularly to eqiializers of the above described character for use upon automobiles and self-propelled vehicles of all types, and the object ot my invention is to provide a form of drive shaft by means of which the ower transmitted from the'engine to the dlid'erential gear of the automobile will be equalized to avoid sudden shocks and jars upon stopping and starting the vehicle. t

A Jurther'objectof my invention 1s to provide a sectional drive shaft, the sections ot'whieli are resiliently connected in such a manner as to effectively transmit all power ot the engine, but to transmit this power gradually during the starting and stopping of the car, thus preventing all sudden movement of the car and consequent rocking of its frame, causing undue strain. This will also prevent spinning of the drive wheels when the power isapplied and skidding of the wheels when the transmission brakes are suddenly applied, thereby saving considerable wear on the tires.

A further object of my invention is to construct al drive shaft of the above described character which will be equally as effective when the gears are reversed to back the car.

With these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully describedhillustrated in the accompanying drawing, and then specifically ointed out in the claim which is attachedp to and forms a part of this application. 4

In the drawing: Figure l is a fragmentary, central longitudinal section ofrmy improved sectional drive sliaft; Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters The drive shaftsof automobiles and selfpropelled vehicles in general, are usually formed in a single piece leading directlyl from the driving shaft of the transmission gearing to the drive pinion of the differential gearing.

My improved form of drive shaft coniprises two shaft sections and 11, the

former of which is connected by one end to the driving shaft of the transmission gearing in the usual or any preferred manner` while the latter carries upon one end the drive pinion of Whatever type of differential gearing is employed on the vehicle. The free end of the shaft 10 is enlarged to forni a substantially friistoconical head 12 pro vided with a longitudinal bore 13 forming a cylindrical shell or casino 14 considerably greater in diameter than the diameter of the shaft 10. The open end of this shell is provided with a radially extending flange l5, and a cap 16 normally closes the shell or casing, this cap having a radial flange 1T which engages against the flange and by which the cap is secured in place, bolts 18 being passed through these engaging flanges and locked in place by nuts 19. This cap is formed with a central bore to receive a tubular heariri 20 for the shaft 1l which extends axialli t rough the casing 14 and the free end of which is journalcd iii a bearing cup 2l seated in a counter-bore 22 formed in the inte ral head of the casing.

It will tiiereore be seen that the shafts 10 and 1l are held in axial alinement with each other but that either shaft is free to rotate independently of the other. A collar 23 is pinned, keyed or otherwise secured against both longitudinal and rotary movement upon the shaft 11 and immediately within the easing this collar therefore serving to hold the shaft 11 with its inner end prop erl seated in the bearin cup 2 1. The perip ieral flange portion' 0% this collar is perforated at diametrically opposite points to receive the threaded Shanks 2l of eyes these eyes bein firmly locked in place by nuts 26 threaded upon these Shanks. These eyes engage about the terminal convolution of a stiff coiled spring 27 and effectively clamp one end of this spring against the collar Aand against turning movement independent thereof. The opposite end of this spring is directed radially from the body portion, threaded as shown at 28 and passed through an opening 29 formed in the wall of'the casing adjacent the integral head thereof. A nut threaded upon the outer end 28 of the spring firmly locks the same titl To additioirmlly secure this latter l provide an eye 3l havshanlr 32 which passes of the casing', er 33, having an inclined which is secured in clampt the spring by a nut 34:.

foregoing description, it will spring '27 is rigidly e shaft ll and at end of the spring, ing a threaded through the in through a wash bearing fa-ce and ing position tegral head he apparent that the connected a its opposite medium of th spring sho strength to drive shatt witho in normal or flexed osition suhstantia the drawing, the shaft ll and lin operation, upon clutch to start the car, power gineivill he transmitte of the drive shaft to ro carried by its en spring 27 is conne rotation of the sha effect upon the sp gradually transnn ot the spring to u tion ll in rotation, sections will rotate in unison.

ch out of operation, to normal position, the spring 'lhe strength and size ld he such that when so ll not hind about the shaft t one end to th end to the shaft l thi e collar 23 and casin uld, ot' course, he o transmit all power applied to the ut danger of breaking and position should occupy lly that shown in Fig. 1 extending midway between the inner tace of the casing. the throwing in of the from the ene section l0 te it and the casing As one end ont the cted to this casing., the 'tt will have a torsional and this edect will he tted throughout th ltimately set the shaft secatter which looth. shaft Upon throwthe second-mentioned section,

ing the clut tioned section, will return heing again .tiered i ofthe spring s tightened it wi @n the other thrown in, cept that the spring osite direction an i ded a certain distance section ll will rotate. strength ol' the spr tioned with respect lt and to the power mitted hy drive the coil the s mienne cylinder. The-spring therefore should heot sufficient tension to never reach either limit during the ordinary use of the car.

Atlthough ll have illustrated and described my invention in all its details it will ot1I course he understood that changes in these details may he made at any time, it desired, without in the slightest degree departing from the spirit ot my invention.

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

Arr engine power equalizer including a sectional shatt, a casing carried hy one terminal ot one section and provided with hearings 'to receive one terminal of the other section, a collar arranged upon said other section and within the casing to maintain said section against withdrawal from the hearings of the casing, a helical spring posi; tioned within the casing and wound ahnnt hoolrs4v carried the collar tor detachahly securing one spring to the secondmenthe other terminal ot the spring being leent at right angles to lits lonv gitudinal axis and directed through the casing at the inner terminal thereof, the ente? riorly disposed portion ot the spring heing threaded, a nut threaded on. the exteriorly disposed portion oli the spring, and a 1noolr memher extending through thecasing and enga'girnfF the right anguliirly directed portion ot the spring for holding it against displacement.

lln testimony whereof ll atlin my signature in presence olf two witnesses.1

lwlrltll SAUL. [n al lWitnesses bv terminal ot the 

